The galaxy NGC 4258 (also known as Messier 106 or M 106) is much
like our galaxy, with the addition of two extra spiral arms that
glow in X-ray, optical and radio light. These features, rather
than aligning with the galactic plane, intersect with it, giving
it an anomalous shape.

A new composite image of the oddly-formed galaxy and its
pyrotechnic proclivities was recently published by NASA. In the
image, X-rays by NASA's Chandra Observatory are blue, radio data
from NSF's Karl Jansky Very Large Array are purple, optical data
from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope are yellow and infrared data
from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope are red.

The cause of NGC 4528’s spectacular activity was recently
explained in the June 20, 2014, issue of The Astrophysical
Journal Letters and is available online.

According to researchers, a supermassive black hole which sits at
the center of the galaxy is churning out a truly psychedelic
display of radiant stellar energy equal to tens of millions of
suns.

The black hole is believed to be producing powerful jets of
high-energy particles, which strike the disc of the galaxy. The
disc, which is mainly composed of gas, dust and stars, generates
shockwaves in the process. The shockwaves serve to heat the gas –
mainly composed of hydrogen molecules – to thousands of degrees.

Researchers think that this ejection is occurring at such a fast
clip, the gas will be exhausted within the next 300 million
years, leaving less available gas to form new stars in the
future. As a result, they believe 10 times fewer stars are being
produced in NGC 4258 than in our own Milky Way.

“Jets from the super-massive black hole at the center of M
106 are having a profound influence on the available gas for
making stars in this galaxy," said Patrick Ogle, an
astrophysicist at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at
the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and co-author
of the study.

“This process may eventually transform the spiral galaxy M
106 into a lenticular galaxy, depriving it of the raw material to
form stars."

The opportunity to study NGC 4258 is providing scientists
valuable insight into the nature of black holes and the life
cycle of galaxies. In this instance, the immensely destructive
capacity of a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy
is on display in all of its kaleidoscopic glory.